Caste discrimination: NCSC initiates inquiry into police inaction

VIRUDHUNAGAR: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has initiated an inquiry over allegations of police inaction against caste Hindus, who attacked people belonging to SC community over a temple row at Palayampatti of Aruppukottai.

Dalit Liberation Movement State President S Karuppaiah said that the people belonging to the SC community in the village had been worshipping in one Ramalingam Siththar Jeeva Samadhi temple for generations. The temple has around 60 acres of land, which has been encroached, he claimed.

“In April, a person had cut down trees around the temple and sold them, following which the president of the temple trust lodged complaints with Tahsildar and Aruppukottai Town inspector. As no action was taken, the matter was taken up to the Madurai bench of Madras High Court and the court had issued orders to take action and provide protection to trust members,” he added.

Meanwhile, notices of a temple ritual were pasted on the temple walls that the caste Hindus allegedly removed. Later, the caste Hindus lodged a police complaint stating that the SC people pasted the notices on a temple that belonged to them.

However, the police conducted an inquiry and provided permission to people belonging to the SC community to hold the temple ritual. “This did not go well with the caste Hindus and they attacked Ramasamy and others on July 23 during the ritual,” said Karuppaiah.